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Ref:516/03 |
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VIETNAM
- Jan 27, 2003 |
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Aquaculture throws
lifeline in north-west |
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Aquaculture has improved the standard of living of almost
10,500 farmers in the country’s mountainous north-west,
according to officials from the
Ministry of Fisheries.
At a meeting in Hoa Binh
Province last week, ministry representatives said the
incidence of "social evils" had also fallen as a result of
the fisheries development project, writes Vietnam News. |
Fish farming has improved the
standard of living of almost 10,500 farmers. Photo:T Engo |
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Under the project, the
United Nations Development Programme
and the
Food and Agriculture Organisation
provided farmers in Hoa Binh, Son La and Lai Chau provinces
with training and USD 314,000 in loans since August 1999.
Most of these loans have been
repaid, and all 50 communes involved in the scheme have
reached their aquaculture development targets.
The project established
aquaculture extension centres in the three provinces, opened
six district-level centres and employed about 200 extension
officers and farmers.
It also created small-scale
savings programmes to ensure ethnic minority farmers had
enough start-up capital for their aquaculture operations.
With help from National
Research Institute, the communes trialled several fish
farming models, developed cheap sources of fish feed,
established fish hatcheries and protected fish from common
diseases.
By FIS Asia |
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